Having run the emergency ambulances (108) for humans successfully for seven years, the Himachal Pradesh government is now contemplating to have similar free-of-cost 24X7 emergency ambulances for ailing animals.

Official sources said the state government is considering a proposal submitted by GVK-EMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute), service provider of 108 ambulances, to start animal ambulances in HP based on the model of Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Gujarat.

“We have proposed 108 ambulances in the state. We will have two kinds of vehicles. Mainly, we will cater to veterinary emergencies at doorstep through our ambulances, which will have a veterinary doctor, a Paravet, a helper, apart from the driver. We will have some ambulances (two in each district) ambulances to transport the animals to veterinary facility,” Dr GV Ramana Rao, Director Emergency Medicine Learning Centre and Research with GVK-EMRI at Hyderabad told The Statesman.

There would be a centralised toll free number 1962 for the emergency ambulance for animals.

According to Mehul Sukumaran, who heads the 108 (ambulances for humans) operations of GVK-EMRI in HP, the proposal involves 84 smaller ambulances and 24 bigger ones (to transport the animals in emergency) across the state.

The annual budget proposed for the service is reportedly Rs. 25 crore.

The ambulances will cater to milch animals, pets and even stray animals, which are mostly cattle and dogs.

HP is a rural state with majority households rearing livestock for economy. The population of livestock in the hill state is around 50 lakhs. The number of stray cattle in HP is around 32,000.

If it materialises, the animal ambulance service is likely to revolutionise the veterinary services in HP, which are ailing for various gaps.

The successive state governments did open veterinary dispensaries and hospitals in HP as per demand over the years, but they are understaffed and there is no system of 24X7 facility.

The state run veterinary institutions close in the evening and all they offer to the animal is day care treatment.

“Transportation of bigger animals is a difficult task in the hill state for reasons of accessibility. The veterinary services are normally on the doorstep, even otherwise. But it becomes difficult for doctors to take every call as majority institutions are understaffed. As also, the vets are mostly occupied with extension services and administration. They actually have lesser time for clinic job,” sources in the Animal Husbandry department said.

The animal lovers are particularly happy with the move. “We come across injured and sick stray animals in routine. But we feel helpless many a times as there is no defined no-link up to get them treated. The animal ambulances will be a great relief in such cases,” they said.